Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

metayer

Noun

/məˈteɪ.ər/

Definition

A type of agricultural worker who pays rent through a share of the crop produced rather than paying cash.

Examples

The metayer worked diligently on the fields, knowing his efforts would be rewarded with a portion of the harvest.
In some rural communities, metayers formed a close-knit community focused on collaborative farming.

Meaning

In historical contexts, a metayer is a tenant farmer who cultivates land owned by another and shares the produce with the landowner. This system is prevalent in certain regions of France and other parts of Europe.